Well, now that Mat, the Weather Albatross™ has gone back to England, it’s business as usual, this time at La Proa, with blue skies, bright sun, and heavily muscled bare chests skimming over awesome routes.

We warm up on Espantocells, 6a (without the extension) then shuffle over to the excellent (Rockfax 3 star) La Primera De L’Estiu, 6a, 6b+. I’d ticked the juggy first pitch a couple of times, but the second pitch was untried and unknown. With a perfect temperature to climb, I head up the first 15 meter pitch without a problem. The first belay is the start of a left hand traverse on to some nice flakes, pulling up into a roof crux. Quite pumpy this, but with plenty of places to hang out and recover, the roof however is a technical problem which I onsight by trusting to shoe adhesion on both feet while taking a full stretch, half thumb-knuckle undercut with my right and pulling up. An awesome sequence of moves to get past this, despite the heavy rope drag, this is a grand route.

Another nice onsight, Aquario, 6b+ is hard work – La Mussara (which means it’s a 6c). I’m fighting it all the way past the initial generous pockets, up some thin crimps and slopers. Next to this and even harder, Gallicant, 6b+ has a section where there is nothing for your hands. Nothing. My foot slips off a polished nub denying me glory. The next route left is Carrasclet, 6a+, again La Mussara (it’s a 6b) and for some unknown reason – tired maybe? I rest and miss an onsight. Going back to the car, we stop off at Roure to do the alpine style Formiga, 6a. Superb sunset as we drive home, pity my camera batteries ran out.